President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Monday delaying the enforcement of a nationwide ban on TikTok for 75 days, effectively granting the China-based parent company, ByteDance, additional time to either divest a stake in the platform or strike a deal with the administration. The decision follows a dramatic weekend in which TikTok, the ultra-popular social media app, went dark for U.S. users for over 12 hours, only to return after Trump signaled his intention to intervene.
Trump’s order pauses the TikTok ban to allow the administration time to determine the “appropriate course of action.” The delay, which can last up to 90 days, comes after the president previously suggested that ByteDance could resolve the issue by creating a joint venture in which U.S. interests hold at least a 50% stake.
Trump, addressing supporters at a rally in Washington D.C. during his inauguration festivities, declared, “As of today, TikTok is back,” and stated, “We have no choice, we have to save it,” while proposing that such a deal would be lucrative for the U.S. He described the envisioned partnership as a “joint venture” that would result in significant financial gains.
The executive order, which is expected to delay the ban, has drawn some skepticism. Senator Kevin Cramer, a Republican from North Dakota, raised concerns about the legality of the move, questioning whether it respects the separation of powers. Speaking to CNN, Cramer noted his unease about the constitutional implications of presidential authority in such matters, particularly given that the ban had received bipartisan backing and had been upheld by the Supreme Court.
While TikTok has resumed its operations for many American users, those accessing the app are greeted with a pop-up message reading, “Welcome back!” and attributing the app’s return to Trump’s intervention. However, the app remains unavailable for download on Apple’s App Store, signaling that the dispute is far from over.